First up, the office of Seattle Mayor.
The Mayor of the City of Seattle
is the chief executive officer of the city
and is responsible for enforcing city and state law,
city contracts and maintaining order.
The mayor appoints department heads,
subject to city council approval,
and manages the executive branch of city government.
The mayor has the authority to veto ordinances passed
by the city council,
and the council may override such vetoes
by a two thirds majority vote.
The mayor is elected for a four-year term.
-I'm Katie Wilson, and I'm running for Seattle Mayor.
As founder and executive director
of the Transit Riders Union for fourteen years,
I've been building powerful coalitions
to win major victories that benefit working families,
higher minimum wages,
and stronger protections for renters
in cities around King County,
the ORCA LIFT, low-income fare program
which tens of thousands of transit riders use every day,
the JumpStart tax on wealthy corporations
which prevented devastating service cuts
during the pandemic.
Now I'm running for mayor because I know we can do better.
We deserve a mayor's office
that leads with integrity and collaboration,
not one that's embroiled in scandal
and beholden to powerful groups.
Working families in our city
are struggling with the high cost of rent,
childcare and groceries.
We need a mayor who takes the cost-of-living crisis seriously.
Voters have twice supported social housing by a landslide.
Seattle deserves a mayor who will work to make it successful,
not undermine it.
More people are homeless than ever before,
and we have less shelter now than we did four years ago.
As your mayor,
I will create more emergency housing
and deepen investments in addiction treatment
and mental-health care.
We can do better on public safety.
Right now, Seattle is not following best practices
to prevent and respond to gun violence,
and we must do more to protect residents
against attacks from the Trump administration
and make sure we can deliver the services people depend on,
even if we lose federal funding.
Seattle can have affordable and abundant housing,
great public spaces, high quality schools,
world-class mass transit, and vibrant neighborhoods.
You shouldn't need a six-figure income to feel at home here.
This is your city,
a city that we can build together.
With your vote,
we can have a true champion for working families
and a coalition builder in the mayor's office.
I'm proud to be endorsed by the King County Democrats,
UAW 4121, State Senator Rebecca Saldaña,
and many more trusted organizations
and community leaders.
I would be honored to have your vote in this race.
-With your support,
we will continue overcoming challenges
in building a brighter, more equitable future.
Since 2022,
we've helped thousands of vulnerable people
access housing and shelter,
supporting an 80% reduction in unauthorized tent encampments
citywide.
Crime rates are lower.
We're rebuilding police staffing
and sheriff's department responders
trained in de-escalation are assisting people in crisis.
We've made unprecedented investments
in affordable housing, climate action,
transit and transportation.
Let's keep working together for a stronger, united Seattle.
I'm a Seattle Public Schools graduate
and a University of Washington graduate,
a lifelong Seattle resident and a father deeply committed
to the diversity and dynamism of our city.
With your vote, I'll continue to focus on outcomes
and make no excuses and seek bold, transformative change.
I'm committed to action on housing,
directing over $1 billion to create thousands
of affordable homes
and improve supportive housing availability and staffing.
I've eliminated barriers to housing construction,
passed nation-leading green-building standards.
I will continue working for affordable communities
while connecting unsheltered neighbors with resources.
I'll keep improving public safety,
having delivered on promises to establish an unarmed
behavioral health response unit,
hire more and more diverse officers,
reduce response times, and crack down on drug trafficking.
A lifelong advocate for youth,
I'm committed to reducing gun violence
in our schools and communities.
Moving forward,
we will accelerate programs that keep us safe and healthy.
I will continue protecting Seattle,
challenging Trump,
his administration's efforts to disrupt Seattle's stance
as a welcoming city for immigrants, LGBTQ,
and BIPOC communities.
I'll ensure our rights and laws are respected.
I ask for your vote.